from Kentuckiana Farms

Lexington, KY — Kentuckiana Farms is extremely excited to announce that world champion Muscle Mass, by Muscles Yankee out of Graceful Touch, by Pine Chip, will stand the 2009 breeding season at Kentuckiana Farms of Ontario, located at Emerald Ridge Farm of Rockwood, Ontario. Kentuckiana Farms will serve as syndicate manager and along with Emerald Ridge Farm will manage his breeding career.

Muscle Mass retires to stud duty as the fastest 2-year-old son of super-sire Muscles Yankee, having established his world record mark of 1:53.4 in only his second career start. In doing so, he lowered Chocolatier’s 2-year-old record by a full second — a world record that still stands. Muscle Mass won five major stakes in an undefeated season at 2, winning all seven of his starts, including back-to-back wins in Lexington and a 10 length, track and stakes record in the American-National.

Muscle Mass was a stunning $100,000 yearling and hails from one of harness racing’s most prolific families. He is a Muscles Yankee son of Graceful Touch 2,1:56.1 ($161,983), a brilliant stakes winning 2-year-old herself and a daughter of the sensational ill-fated Valley Victory racemare and producer Act Of Grace 3,1:52.3 ($403,525). Before her tragic death, Act Of Grace produced stakes winning Cobol 3,1:54.1 ($411,457) and Graceful Touch in only two foals.

“Muscle Mass is a spectacular individual that possessed extreme high speed through his long and highly efficient gait,” said trainer Erv Miller. “It is unfortunate that his world record performing 2-year-old season could not have carried into his 3-year-old year due to injury. I would have loved to have had the opportunity to compete against the great Deweycheatumnhowe at 100 percent. Muscle Mass was an extremely tough and determined competitor and I believe he will carry his will through to his offspring.”

The 2009 service fee for Muscle Mass will be C$5,000. Syndication details will be available in the near future.